Examples of Nursing Careers

Nursing is one of the core functions of health care. There are many different types of nurses working in all fields of medicine. Most people don't know that nursing also involves a lot of qualifications, up to and including doctorate level. Nursing is rapidly becoming a highly advanced profession, as nurse practitioners move into the health care sector and begin providing additional services in their many areas of expertise.

Career path

All aspects of nursing careers are based on formal qualifications. Basic training for nurses is usually conducted at a nursing college, including some practical work and a lot of classroom work. To be able to work as a nurse it is necessary as a series of exams and meet the related licensing requirements of national and/or state laws.

Note: In many forms of nursing ongoing education is a requirement of licensure.

Fundamental qualifications include:

Diploma of nursing

Associate degree in nursing

Bachelor of science in nursing

Masters degree

Doctorate

Post doctorate

In addition to these qualifications are multiple areas of specialization, usually targeted qualifications in relation to career goals.

Career progression

Generally the most common type of career progression in nursing is a progression from general nursing to specialization. Choice of career progression can be affected by employment, with nurses choosing promotional career progression goals.

Alternatively, many nurses start their careers with definite career goals, and manage their qualifications and employment accordingly. This is the common methodology for the most highly qualified nurses like nurse practitioners and doctorate and researcher-level nurses.

Career progression can be a pretty bumpy ride for nurses. The health sector is one of the most volatile of all areas of employment. It's estimated that in the United States 30% of the workforce is either on the move or considering an employment move at any given time. Employment conditions can vary considerably, particularly in the hospital sector, where extremely high workloads are very common. Specialization provides many career options, but also involves working in a smaller employment demographic, meaning job opportunities may be fewer and spread over a wider area of locations.

Advanced nursing, however, is also changing the employment paradigms for nurses. Nurse practitioners are able to operate their own practices, providing more services and more flexibility regarding career progression choices in their chosen fields. This is the nursing of the future, and it's the likely scenario for future nursing careers.

If you're looking for a career in nursing and there are some things you need to know:

Nursing really is a career for highly motivated people. Dedication in this profession is not a cliche, it's a necessity.

Nursing can be very hard work indeed. Most nurses work shift hours, and in some cases may have to fill in for other people's shifts at short notice.

Nursing involves working with very sick people. This is not a job for the fainthearted.

If you have the character, motivation, intelligence and stamina, nursing can be a particularly rewarding career choice.